Ruth 4

1 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there. Behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by. Boaz said to him, “Come over here, friend, and sit down!” He came over, and sat down.

Then Boaz went up to the gate and sat down. Just then the near kinsman of whom Boaz had spoken came along. Boaz said, “Hello, So-and-so (calling him by name), come here and sit down.” So he stopped and sat down.

2 Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here,” and they sat down.

Boaz also took ten of the town elders and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.

3 He said to the near kinsman, “Naomi, who has come back out of the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s.

Then he said to the near relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is offering for sale the piece of land which belonged to our relative Elimelech,

4 I thought I should tell you, saying, ‘Buy it before those who sit here, and before the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know. For there is no one to redeem it besides you; and I am after you.” He said, “I will redeem it.”

and I thought that I would lay the matter before you, suggesting that you buy it in the presence of these men who sit here and of the elders of my people. If you will buy it and so keep it in the possession of the family, do so; but if not; then tell me, so that I may know; for no one but you has the right to buy it, and I am next to you.” “I will buy it,” he said.

5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must buy it also from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance.”

Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from Naomi, you must also marry Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to preserve the name of the dead in connection with his inheritance.”

6 The near kinsman said, “I can’t redeem it for myself, lest I endanger my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption for yourself; for I can’t redeem it.”

“I cannot buy it for myself without spoiling my own inheritance,” the near relative said. “You take my right of buying it as a relative, because I cannot do so.”

7 Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man took off his sandal, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was the way of formalizing transactions in Israel.

Now this used to be the custom in Israel: to make valid anything relating to a matter of redemption or exchange, a man drew off his sandal and gave it to the other man; and this was the way contracts were attested in Israel.

8 So the near kinsman said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” then he took off his sandal.

So when the near relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” Boaz drew off the man’s sandal.

9 Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, “You are witnesses today, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi.

Then Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, “You are witnesses at this time that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s from Naomi.

10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, I have purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his place. You are witnesses today.”

Moreover I have secured Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in connection with his inheritance, so that his name will not disappear from among his relatives and from the household where he lived. You are witnesses this day.”

11 All the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Leah, which both built the house of Israel; and treat you worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem.

Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel. May you do well in Ephrata, and become famous in Bethlehem.

12 Let your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the offspring which the LORD will give you by this young woman.”

From the children whom the Lord will give you by this young woman may your household become like the household of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and he went in to her, and the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she bore a son.

So Boaz married Ruth, and she became his wife; and the Lord gave to her a son.

14 The women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you today without a near kinsman. Let his name be famous in Israel.

Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord who has not left you at this time without a near relative, and may his name be famous in Israel.

15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and sustain you in your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”

This child will restore your vigor and nourish you in your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is worth more to you than seven sons, has borne a son to Boaz!”

16 Naomi took the child, laid him in her bosom, and became nurse to him.

So Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him as if he was her own.

17 The women, her neighbors, gave him a name, saying, “A son is born to Naomi”. They named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son is born to Naomi!” They named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.

18 Now this is the history of the generations of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron,

This is the genealogy of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron,

19 and Hezron became the father of Ram, and Ram became the father of Amminadab,

Hezron of Ram, Ram of Amminadab,

20 and Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon became the father of Salmon,

Amminidab of Nashon, Nashon of Salmon,

21 and Salmon became the father of Boaz, and Boaz became the father of Obed,

Salmon of Boaz, Boaz of Obed,

22 and Obed became the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David.

Obed of Jesse, Jesse of David.